Here Comes The Guide's Blog

Life’s been a bit stressful lately and so my husband and I decided to get away, just for one day and one night, to focus our minds on nicer things. Given that Napa is only 30 minutes from our house, it seemed an inspired choice.

But…where to go? There are so many options in the Napa and Sonoma Wine Country, both for wedding locations and for lovely places to stay. We decided, just this time, to forgo the spa/resort route (though, I love me some spa!) and instead chose the super-cozy and yet boutiquey Cottages of Napa Valley.

Within minutes of entering our sweet, private cottage—complete with small (and yet well-outfitted) kitchen and sitting area, I knew that this would be my new recommendation for a honeymoon location in the Napa area. The Cottages are just the perfect spot for those first few days after your wedding: You have everything you need to stay inside and not see the light of day for as long as you want, but, if you do decide to leave your getaway, it’s close to tons of great wineries and restaurants. And, it’s well priced for the region.

We indulged in a wonderful in-cottage couples massage, which the folks at the Cottages of Napa Valley set up for us. The friendly Cottages staff also made our dinner and lunch reservations (we had fantastic meals at Tra Vigne and Brix respectively) and gave us helpful, insider tips for the best places to do some shopping and wine-tasting (we loved Nicholson Ranch – which, by the way, is a great wedding location, too).

Bonus: each morning, a large basket of yummy baked goods, fruit and juices from Bouchon Bakery is delivered with the day’s paper. A lazy morning, husband at my side, book, coffee, baked goods close by…That’s about as relaxing as things can get and just what we needed.

If you’re currently in the throes of putting together your San Diego wedding, consider stopping by a local bar Thursday evening for a little fun. While we at Here Comes The Guide definitely don’t advocate drinking while wedding planning (friends don’t let friends put down deposits while tipsy!), we thought you might be interested in a place that offers lots more than a stiff drink for the wedding weary: The Grand Opening of Bridal Bar’s newest location in La Jolla.

For those who don’t know the legendary LA location, the Bridal Bar is the place for wedding inspiration, with wedding albums, invitations, and cake sampling all in one stress-free, chic locale. Nervous brides-to-be might walk in with lots of questions and no idea where to begin, but they’re likely to walk out with a handful of answers, good ideas, and free wedding goodies like vendor vouchers and wedding planning magazines.

The La Jolla grand opening is intriguingly titled “Brides, Bling and Bellinis,” which we think is the perfect combination for a summer evening, don’t you? Mark your calendars and be sure to tell us how it goes!